The author of Birdsong and Engleby here follows seven days in the lives of seven people, who before one week in 2007 were connected only by their shared tube line in the London Underground. Sebastian Faulks' gripping novel uncovers the true nature of the world we inhabit, set against fundamentalist terrorism and the international banking meltdown.

"With clever nods to Charles Dickens, Anthony Trollope, and Tom Wolfe, Faulks combines a sharp eye for detail with an astute understanding of human nature to create a rich, human novel of contemporary manners. Though he provides a captivating account of London, the Los Angeles Times mused that, with a few minor changes, the characters could have been the denizens of any major city, so pervasive are the dilemmas they face.... A compelling and sympathetic critique of modern life."—Bookmarks Magazine